Battery Charging and Discharging Without Interface Removal

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments are described that relate to a battery. A battery, such as a battery with a common input/output terminal, can be tested. Part of this testing can include charging the battery and discharging the battery. It can be dangerous to switch out an interface between charging and discharging. Therefore, a single interface can be employed that enables the battery to be charged and discarded. With this, the battery can be charged and discharged without the danger of switching the interface.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to,U.S. application Ser. No. 15/470,955 filed on Mar. 28, 2017. U.S.application Ser. No. 15/470,955 is hereby incorporated by reference.This application is a divisional application of, and claims priority to,U.S. application Ser. No. 16/803,004 filed on Feb. 27, 2020. U.S.application Ser. No. 16/803,004 is hereby incorporated by reference.

GOVERNMENT INTEREST

The innovation described herein may be manufactured, used, imported,sold, and licensed by or for the Government of the United States ofAmerica without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

BACKGROUND

Different batteries can be used in a wide variety of devices used in avariety of applications. The more important the device and/or the morecritical the application, then the greater damage if the battery fails.In view of this, at times it can be important to test a battery.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, a system comprises an exchange component and aconduit component. The exchange component can be at least partiallyhardware and be configured to physically interface with a commoninput/output terminal of a battery. The conduit component can beconfigured to receive a charge and a discharge for the battery while theexchange component is interfaced with the battery such that theinterface between the exchange component and the battery is configuredto not be removed between a charge and a discharge. The exchangecomponent and the conduit component can be coupled together and theconduit component can be configured to not be decoupled from theexchange component between a charge and a discharge.

In another embodiment, a system comprises an interface component, acharge component, and a discharge component. The interface component canbe at least partially hardware and be configured to interface with abattery with a single input/output terminal. The charge component can beconfigured to charge the battery while the interface component isinterfaced with the battery and the discharge component can beconfigured to discharge the battery while the interface component isinterfaced with the battery. The charge component and then subsequentlythe discharge component can be configured to operate while the interfacecomponent interfaces with the battery. Also, the discharge component andthen subsequently the charge component can be configured to operatewhile the interface component interfaces with the battery.

In yet another embodiment, a method can comprise causing a charging, byway of charging hardware, of a unit under test along a hardwareconnection. The method can also comprise causing a discharging, by wayof discharging hardware, of the unit under test along the hardwareconnection. The hardware connection can remain connected to the unitunder test between the charging and the discharging. The unit under testcan have a common input/output terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Incorporated herein are drawings that constitute a part of thespecification and illustrate embodiments of the detailed description.The detailed description will now be described further with reference tothe accompanying drawings as follows:

FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a charge component connectedenvironment;

FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment of a discharge component connectedenvironment;

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a charge component and dischargecomponent simultaneously connected environment;

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a charge component and dischargecomponent simultaneously connected environment with an isolationcomponent;

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a charge component and dischargecomponent simultaneously connected environment with a managementcomponent;

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a schematic that can be used tofacilitate practicing at least one aspect disclosed herein;

FIGS. 6A-6K illustrate one embodiment of various views of the apparatusthat can be used to facilitate practicing at least one aspect disclosedherein;

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a system comprising a processor andcomputer-readable medium;

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a method comprising two actions;

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a method comprising five actions;and

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a method comprising four actions.

Reference to these drawings elsewhere in the text can be summarized forease in readability. In one example, when discussing FIG. 1 such as whenreferring back to something illustrated in FIG. 1A, FIG. 1A can beaddressed as “FIG. 1.” Similarly, when an aspect is addressed inmultiple drawings with a common base number, such as a common aspect inFIGS. 1A and 1B, these can simply be addressed as “FIG. 1.”

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein.The definitions include various examples. The examples are not intendedto be limiting.

“One embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example”, “an example”, and soon, indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) can include aparticular feature, structure, characteristic, property, or element, butthat not every embodiment or example necessarily includes thatparticular feature, structure, characteristic, property, or element.Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment” may or maynot refer to the same embodiment.

“Computer-readable medium”, as used herein, refers to a medium thatstores signals, instructions and/or data. Examples of acomputer-readable medium include, but are not limited to, non-volatilemedia and volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example,optical disks, magnetic disks, and so on. Volatile media may include,for example, semiconductor memories, dynamic memory, and so on. Commonforms of a computer-readable medium may include, but are not limited to,a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, othermagnetic medium, other optical medium, a Random Access Memory (RAM), aRead-Only Memory (ROM), a memory chip or card, a memory stick, and othermedia from which a computer, a processor or other electronic device canread. In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium is anon-transitory computer-readable medium.

“Component”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to hardware,firmware, software stored on a computer-readable medium or in executionon a machine, and/or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or anaction(s), and/or to cause a function or action from another component,method, and/or system. Component may include a software controlledmicroprocessor, a discrete component, an analog circuit, a digitalcircuit, a programmed logic device, a memory device containinginstructions, and so on. Where multiple components are described, it maybe possible to incorporate the multiple components into one physicalcomponent or conversely, where a single component is described, it maybe possible to distribute that single component between multiplecomponents.

“Software”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to, one or moreexecutable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium that causea computer, processor, or other electronic device to perform functions,actions and/or behave in a desired manner. The instructions may beembodied in various forms including routines, algorithms, modules,methods, threads, and/or programs, including separate applications orcode from dynamically linked libraries.

FIG. 1A illustrates one embodiment of a charge component connectedenvironment 100A and FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment of a dischargecomponent connected environment 100B. In one configuration, a battery110 can include a single input/output terminal 120. The battery 110, byway of the terminal 120, can be potentially connected to a chargecomponent 130 (e.g., charger) or a discharge component 140 (e.g., load).When connected to the charge component 130, the battery 110 can receivea charge 150 and similarly, when connected to the discharge component140, the battery 110 can receive a discharge 160.

The environment 100 can be used to test the battery 110. In an exampleoperation of this configuration, an interface 170 can be coupled to thecharge component 130 and not coupled to the discharge component 140; theinterface in this arrangement is designated as 170-1. Once charged, theinterface 170 can be decoupled from the charge component 130 andinterfaced to the discharge component 140; the interface in thisarrangement is designated as 170-2. Decouplement of the interface 170can be performed by a technician.

This configuration has multiple drawbacks. A main drawback is safety ofthe technician and other personnel. In one example, once charged, thebattery 110 can be considered live. Inductance from the battery cancause creation of a flash/arc between positive and negative contacts ofan input/output cable of the battery 110. Therefore, it can bebeneficial to have the battery 110 simultaneously coupled to the chargecomponent 130 and the discharge component 140 so that the charge 150 anddischarge 160 can be delivered without physically moving the interface170.

An additional drawback is that coupling and decoupling the interface 170can cause physical wear and tear on the interface 170. The more wear andtear on the interface 170, the sooner the interface 170 should bereplaced. More frequent replacement of the interface 170 can lead toundesirable higher costs.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the charge component and thedischarge component simultaneously connected environment 200. Aninterface component 210 can be configured to interface with the battery110 (e.g., by way of interfacing the terminal 120), the charge component130, and the discharge component 140. The charge component 130 can beconfigured to charge 150 the battery 110 while the interface component210 is interfaced with the battery 110. Similarly, the dischargecomponent 140 can be configured to discharge 160 the battery 110 whilethe interface component 210 is interfaced with the battery 110.

The charge component 130 and then subsequently the discharge component140 (or vice versa) are configured to operate while the interfacecomponent 210 interfaces with the battery. In one example, a test can berun where the charge component 130 charges the battery 110 and then thedischarge component 140 discharges the charger from the battery 110without the interface component 210 being removed and as such theflash/arc is not produced. In another example, a first test can occurwhere the charge component 130 can charge 150 the battery 110 at a firstcharge level and then the discharge component 140 can discharge 160 at afirst discharge level (e.g., about equal to a negative of the firstcharge level such that the battery 110 returns to a neutral state).After this, a second test can occur where the charge component 130 cancharge 150 the battery 110 at a second charge level (e.g., differentfrom the first charge level) and then the discharge component 140 candischarge 160 at a second discharge level. These two tests can be run onthe battery 110 one after the other, such that that the interfacecomponent 210 is not removed between tests; in this, the chargecomponent 130 in the second test functions after the discharge component140 functions in the first test.

In one embodiment, the battery 110 can be a large format battery (abattery greater than about one kilowatt-hour). The battery 110 can be ofdifferent chemistries, such as lithium ion (e.g., lithium iron phosphateor lithium cobalt dioxide), nickel metal hydride, or molten salt. Thebattery 110 can be of different voltages, such as of at least about 20Volts direct current (VDC).

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a charge component and dischargecomponent simultaneously connected environment 300 with an isolationcomponent 310. The isolation component 310 can be configured to isolatethe charge component 130 from the discharge component 140. In oneembodiment, the isolation component 310 is a Schottky diode (e.g.,Schottky style transient voltage suppressing (TVS) diode).

FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of a charge component and dischargecomponent simultaneously connected environment 400 with a managementcomponent 410. The management component 410 can be configured to managebetween the charge component 130 and the discharge component 140 suchthat the battery is not charged and discharged concurrently. In oneembodiment, the management component 410 is implemented, at least inpart, by way of a switch. The switch can comprise a discharge settingthat causes the discharge component 140 to discharge 160 the battery110. The switch can also comprise a charge setting that causes thecharge component 130 to charge 150 the battery 110. The switch canfurther comprise a neutral setting that does not cause charge 150 ordischarge 160.

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a schematic 500 of an apparatusthat can be used to facilitate practicing at least one aspect disclosedherein. The system can facilitate a unit under test (UUT), such as thebattery 110 of FIG. 2, which can be connected to an electrical connectorJ2. The UUT can be subjected to charging or discharging from externalentities (e.g., the charge component 130 of FIG. 2 or the dischargecomponent 140 of FIG. 2). The UUT can be charged using the chargecomponent 130 of FIG. 2 (e.g., a power supply) connected to theelectrical connector J4. The UUT can be discharged (e.g., placed underan electrical load) by using the discharge component 140 of FIG. 2(e.g., a battery test system) connected to an electrical connector J3.The charging device and discharging device can be electrically isolatedby using the isolation component 310 of FIG. 3 (e.g., a Schottky styleTVS diode D1).

The system can operate using 120 volt alternating current (VAC) powerthat can be connected through connector J1. AC voltage can be convertedto 24 VDC using an internal power supply PS1. The system can also useelectromechanical devices including relays K1-K4, meters M1-M2, lightemitting diodes (LEDs) L1-L5, and cooling fans B1-B2 that operate on 24VDC voltage.

Operation of the system can be controlled by using the selector switchS3 that can be a 2-pole, single throw, 2-deck rotary switch. The switchcan be wired such that the operation of the system can be changed from a“standby” status to either a “charge” status or “discharge” status. Inthis, the selector switch can function as the management component 410of FIG. 4. When the switch is in “standby” status there can be, in oneembodiment, no load on the system. When the switch is in the “charge” or“discharge” status, a contactor style relay, such as relay K3 for“charge” or relay K2 for “discharge”, is energized closing theappropriate relay's contacts and allowing current to flow through partof the system. An LED indicator can be illuminated to show which statethe selector switch is set to, such as state L3 for “standby”, state L4for “discharge”, and state L5 for “charge.” A digital panel-mountedmeter set can be used to provide metering during operation to allow auser to observe the voltage M1 and current M2 for the UUT.

The system can include several features to ensure safety of personneland equipment. The AC input connector J1 can comprise an integrated 16Amps (A) circuit breaker CB1 to prevent overloading AC circuitry. In oneembodiment, the maximum current on the 120 VAC circuit can be about 12A. The system can comprise an emergency stop switch S5 that can work intandem with the safety/monitor relay K4. Relay K4 can interrupt power tothe 120 VAC circuit resulting in the 24 VDC power supply PS1 shuttingdown. The relay K4 can use a feed-back loop between a safety switch as amonitoring device providing additional redundancy in the safety circuit.A 2-A panel-mounted fuse F2 can be employed to protect the 24 VDCcontrol circuit. The total load on the 24 VDC circuit can be around 0.75A.

A main on-off switch S2 can be a key-lock switch. By allowing anoperator to remove the key, the system can be prevented from becomingenergized, inadvertently. The relay K1 can be included in the system toprevent the operator from being able to activate the 24 VDC circuitusing the key-lock switch S2 unless the 3-position switch S3 is in the“standby” position.

In one embodiment, an exchange component (e.g., at least part of theconnector J2) can be configured to interface with the UUT. In oneexample, the exchange component interfaces with the terminal 120 of FIG.1 when the battery 110 of FIG. 1 is a large format battery. A conduitcomponent (e.g., the ports 2 and 4 of the connector J2, wires leadinginto the connector J2, the relays K2 and K3, or at least part of theconnectors J3 and J4) can be configured to receive a charge and adischarge for the UUT while the exchange component is interfaced withthe UUT such that the interface between the exchange component and thebattery is configured to not be removed between a charge and adischarge. The conduit component and the exchange component can becoupled together, such as by being one physical unit or being segregablephysical units.

In one embodiment, the conduit component is configured to be coupled toa charge device (e.g., the power supply) configured to supply the chargeand is configured to be coupled to, at the same time as the chargecomponent, a discharge device (e.g., MACCOR) configured to supply thedischarge. The conduit component can be configured to not be decoupledfrom the interface component between a charge and a discharge (as wellas a subsequent second charge or discharge).

An administration component (e.g., the selector switch S3) can beconfigured to manage between the charge from the charge device and thedischarge from the discharge device. In one example, the administrationcomponent can manage a charge relay (e.g., relay K3) and a dischargerelay (e.g., relay K2), such as opening and closing of the relays. Thecharge relay can be closed and the discharge relay can be opened inresponse to a designation to charge the battery. Conversely, thedischarge relay can be closed and the charge relay can be opened inresponse to a designation to discharge the battery.

FIGS. 6A-6K illustrate one embodiment of various views of the apparatusthat can be used to facilitate practicing at least one aspect disclosedherein. FIG. 6A illustrates a perspective view 600A, FIG. 6B illustratesa side view 600B, FIG. 6C illustrates a top view 600C, and FIG. 6Dillustrates a front view 600D. The front view 600D illustrates a frontpanel an emergency stop 602D, a key switch 604D, a display set 606D, alight set 608D, and a selector switch 610D. FIG. 6E illustrates a zoomedin view 600E of the selector switch 610D. The selector switch 610D showsthree settings—charge, standby, and discharge. The selector switch 610Dcan function as the administration component discussed above. FIG. 600Fillustrates an interior view of the front panel inversed of the frontview 600D.

FIG. 6G illustrates a front view 600G of a back panel comprising acharge connector port 602G, a discharge connector port 604G, an exhaustfan set 606G, a battery connector port 608G, and an outlet connectorport 610G. FIG. 6H illustrates a zoomed in view 602H of the chargeconnector port 602G, a zoomed in view 602H of the discharge connectorport 604G, and a zoomed in view 606H of the battery connector port 608G.In one example, the ports 602G and 604G are the conduit component whilethe port 608G is the exchange component. In another example, the port602G is the charge component 130 of FIG. 2, the port 604G is thedischarge component 140 of FIG. 2, and the port 608G is the interfacecomponent 210 of FIG. 2. In yet another example, the port 602G can beconsidered charge hardware while the port 604G can be considereddischarge hardware. FIG. 6I illustrates an interior view 6001 of theback panel inversed of the front view 600G.

FIG. 6J illustrates a top view 600J of the apparatus with a top panelremoved. The top view 600J illustrates different hardware that can beused to practice aspects disclosed herein. The hardware includes powerdistribution block 602J (e.g., 600 V and 420 A), two contactors 604J and606J (e.g., 0-48 VDC, 150 A, 24 VDC coil voltage), a power supply 608J(e.g., 24 VDC, 25 A, 600 Watts (W)), a terminal strip 610J (e.g., 12position, 300 VAC/VDC), a relay block 612J, a TVS diode Schottkyrectifier 614J (e.g., 200 A), and a shunt 616J (100 A). FIG. 6Killustrates a zoomed in view of the contactor 606J.

FIG. 7 illustrates one embodiment of a system 700 comprising a processor710 (e.g., a general purpose processor or a processor specificallydesigned for performing a functionality disclosed herein) and acomputer-readable medium 720 (e.g., non-transitory computer-readablemedium). In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium 720 iscommunicatively coupled to the processor 710 and stores a command setexecutable by the processor 710 to facilitate operation of at least onecomponent disclosed herein (e.g., the administration component). In oneembodiment, at least one component disclosed herein (e.g., themanagement component) can be implemented, at least in part, by way ofnon-software, such as implemented as hardware by way of the system 700.In one embodiment, the computer-readable medium 720 is configured tostore processor-executable instructions that when executed by theprocessor 710, cause the processor 710 to perform a method disclosedherein (e.g., the methods 800-1000 addressed below).

FIG. 8 illustrates one embodiment of a method 800 comprising two actions810-820. At 810, causing a charging of the battery 110 of FIG. 2 canoccur, such as by way of the power supply. This charging can be causedby controlling (e.g., opening and closing) a relay set such that thecharge component 130 of FIG. 2 charges the battery 110 of FIG. 2. Thecharging can occur along a hardware connection (e.g., a physical wirebetween the apparatus and the battery 110 of FIG. 2).

At 820, causing a discharging of the battery 110 of FIG. 2 can occur,such as by way of the electrical load. This discharging can be caused bycontrolling the relay set such that the charge component 130 of FIG. 2charges the battery 110 of FIG. 2. The discharging can occur along thehardware connection with the hardware connection remaining connected tothe battery 110 of FIG. 2 between the charging and the discharging.

FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a method 900 comprising fiveactions 910-950. At 910, a check can occur to determine if charging ordischarging should occur (e.g., from a standby position). If dischargeshould occur, then, at 920, charging hardware can be disabled (e.g., byway of keeping a relay open) and, at 930, discharging hardware can beenabled (e.g., by way of closing a relay). Conversely, if charge shouldoccur, then, at 940, discharging hardware can be disabled and, at 950,charging hardware can be enabled. As part of this charging anddischarging, the charging hardware and discharging hardware can beisolated from one another by way of the TVS diode.

The method 900 can be employed in managing between the charging and thedischarging such that the charging and the discharging do not occursimultaneously. The management can be accomplished, at least in part, bycontrolling opening and closing of a charge relay and a discharge relaysuch that the charge relay and the discharge relay are not closed at thesame time.

FIG. 10 illustrates one embodiment of a method 1000 comprising fouractions 1010-1040. At 1010, charging and discharging can occur, such asin accordance with the method 800 of FIG. 8 and/or in accordance withthe method 900 of FIG. 9. At 1020, monitoring the charging can occur toproduce a monitor result. A check, at 1030, determines if a safety failcondition takes place based, at least in part, on the monitoring result.If there is no safety fail condition, then the method 1000 can continueto monitor. If there is a safety fail condition (e.g., the monitorresult indicates that a safety fail condition is met), then, at 1040,then interrupting a power occurs such that charging and discharging ofthe battery 110 of FIG. 2 does not occur. In one example, the method1000 is practiced by the emergency stop switch S5 of FIG. 5.

In one example, a monitoring apparatus can be employed to practice themethod 1000. The monitoring apparatus can have a threshold value and ifthat threshold value is reached (e.g., met or surpassed), then a triggerevent can occur such as cutting power. Example trigger events can be avoltage being met or a current being surpassed.

While the methods disclosed herein are shown and described as a seriesof blocks, it is to be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the artthat the methods are not restricted by the order of the blocks, as someblocks can take place in different orders. Similarly, a block canoperate concurrently with at least one other block.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: an exchange component, thatis at least partially hardware, configured to physically interface witha common input/output terminal of a battery; and a conduit componentconfigured to receive a charge and a discharge for the battery while theexchange component is interfaced with the battery such that theinterface between the exchange component and the battery is configuredto not be removed between a charge and a discharge, where the exchangecomponent and the conduit component are coupled together, and where theconduit component is configured to not be decoupled from the exchangecomponent between a charge and a discharge.
 2. The system of claim 1,where the battery is a large format battery.
 3. The system of claim 1,where the battery is of at least about 20 Volts direct current.
 4. Thesystem of claim 1, where the conduit component is configured to becoupled to a charge device configured to supply the charge, where theconduit component is configured to be coupled to a discharge deviceconfigured to supply the discharge while the conduit component iscoupled to the charge device, where the conduit component is configuredto not be decoupled from the charge device between a first charge and afirst discharge, where the conduit component is configured to not bedecoupled from the discharge device between the first discharge and thena second charge, where the first discharge occurs after the firstcharge, where the second charge occurs after the first discharge, wherethe first charge and the second charge are different charge amounts, andwhere the charge device and discharge device are two distinct physicalunits.
 5. The system of claim 4, comprising: an isolation componentconfigured to isolate the charge device from the discharge device. 6.The system of claim 5, where the isolation component isolates the chargedevice from the discharge device, at least in part, by way of atransient-voltage-suppression diode.
 7. The system of claim 1,comprising: an administration component configured to manage between thecharge and the discharge.
 8. The system of claim 7, comprising: a chargerelay configured to be closed in response to a designation to charge thebattery; and a discharge relay configured to be closed in response to adesignation to discharge the battery, where the charge relay isconfigured to be open when the battery receives the discharge and wherethe discharge relay configured to be open when the battery receives thecharge.
 9. The system of claim 8, comprising: an identificationcomponent configured to identify a setting of a selector switch, wherewhen the setting is charge, the charge relay is closed and the dischargerelay is open and where when the setting is discharge, the dischargerelay is closed and the charge relay is open.
 10. The system of claim 9,where when the setting is neutral, the charge relay is open and thedischarge relay is open.
 11. The system of claim 1, comprising: amonitor component configured to monitor the battery to produce a monitorresult; a charge interrupt component configured to interrupt the chargewhen the monitor result indicates a charge safety fail; and a dischargeinterrupt component configured to interrupt the discharge when themonitor result indicates a discharge safety fail.
 12. A system,comprising: an exchange component, that is at least partially hardware,configured to physically interface with a common input/output terminalof a battery; a conduit component configured to receive a charge and adischarge for the battery while the exchange component is interfacedwith the battery such that the interface between the exchange componentand the battery is configured to not be removed between a charge and adischarge; an administration component configured to manage between thecharge and the discharge; a monitor component configured to monitor thebattery to produce a monitor result; a charge interrupt componentconfigured to interrupt the charge when the monitor result indicates acharge safety fail; and a discharge interrupt component configured tointerrupt the discharge when the monitor result indicates a dischargesafety fail where the exchange component and the conduit component arecoupled together, and where the conduit component is configured to notbe decoupled from the exchange component between a charge and adischarge.
 13. The system of claim 12, where the conduit component isconfigured to be coupled to a charge device configured to supply thecharge, where the conduit component is configured to be coupled to adischarge device configured to supply the discharge while the conduitcomponent is coupled to the charge device, where the conduit componentis configured to not be decoupled from the charge device between a firstcharge and a first discharge, where the conduit component is configuredto not be decoupled from the discharge device between the firstdischarge and then a second charge, where the first discharge occursafter the first charge, where the second charge occurs after the firstdischarge, where the first charge and the second charge are differentcharge amounts, and where the charge device and discharge device are twodistinct physical units.
 14. The system of claim 13, comprising: anisolation component configured to isolate the charge device from thedischarge device.
 15. The system of claim 14, where the isolationcomponent isolates the charge device from the discharge device, at leastin part, by way of a transient-voltage-suppression diode.
 16. The systemof claim 12, comprising: a charge relay configured to be closed inresponse to a designation to charge the battery; and a discharge relayconfigured to be closed in response to a designation to discharge thebattery, where the charge relay is configured to be open when thebattery receives the discharge and where the discharge relay configuredto be open when the battery receives the charge.
 17. The system of claim16, comprising: an identification component configured to identify asetting of a selector switch, where when the setting is charge, thecharge relay is closed and the discharge relay is open and where whenthe setting is discharge, the discharge relay is closed and the chargerelay is open.
 18. The system of claim 17, where when the setting isneutral, the charge relay is open and the discharge relay is open.
 19. Asystem, comprising: an exchange component, that is at least partiallyhardware, configured to physically interface with a common input/outputterminal of a battery; a conduit component configured to receive acharge and a discharge for the battery while the exchange component isinterfaced with the battery such that the interface between the exchangecomponent and the battery is configured to not be removed between acharge and a discharge; and an administration component configured tomanage between the charge and the discharge, where the exchangecomponent and the conduit component are coupled together, where theconduit component is configured to not be decoupled from the exchangecomponent between a charge and a discharge, where the conduit componentis configured to be coupled to a charge device configured to supply thecharge, where the conduit component is configured to be coupled to adischarge device configured to supply the discharge while the conduitcomponent is coupled to the charge device, where the conduit componentis configured to not be decoupled from the charge device between a firstcharge and a first discharge, where the conduit component is configuredto not be decoupled from the discharge device between the firstdischarge and then a second charge, where the first discharge occursafter the first charge, where the second charge occurs after the firstdischarge, where the first charge and the second charge are differentcharge amounts, and where the charge device and discharge device are twodistinct physical units.
 20. The system of claim 20, comprising: anisolation component configured to isolate the charge device from thedischarge device, a charge relay configured to be closed in response toa designation to charge the battery; a discharge relay configured to beclosed in response to a designation to discharge the battery; and anidentification component configured to identify a setting of a selectorswitch, where when the setting is charge, the charge relay is closed andthe discharge relay is open, where when the setting is discharge, thedischarge relay is closed and the charge relay is open, where the chargerelay is configured to be open when the battery receives the discharge,where the discharge relay configured to be open when the batteryreceives the charge, where the isolation component isolates the chargedevice from the discharge device, at least in part, by way of atransient-voltage-suppression diode, and where when the setting isneutral, the charge relay is open and the discharge relay is open.